Given name · also French
Doreen
“the golden one”·“a brooding woman”
In English use, Doreen is used as a derivative of Dora.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “the golden one” and “a brooding woman”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is French.
How it developed
In English use, Doreen is used as a derivative of Dora.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1900. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Doreen through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 46,489
- 58 boys · 46,431 girls
- Most popular year
- 1956
- 2,574 babies
- 2025
- 25
- #5,132 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −12%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 25 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 5,132 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 12.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 2,574 in 1956. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (6). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 40,567 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Doreen’s family of names
In English usage, Doreen has a diminutive in Reenie. Doreen developed from Dora. Doreen has a related form in Dorene.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 13
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Reeniediminutive · English
- Dorevariant
- Doreenavariant
- Dorreenvariant
- Dorinevariant
- Dorenevariant
- Doireannavariant
- Doireanavariant
Show 5 moreShow fewer
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Doreen
- Doreen MasseyBritish social scientist and geographer1944–2016
- Doreen ValienteEnglish writer (1922–1999)
- Doreen WilberAmerican archer (1930–2008)
- Doreen AmataNigerian high jumperborn 1988
- Doreen BainganaUgandan writerborn 1966
- Doreen CarwithenBritish composer of classical and film music (1922–2003)
- Doreen MirembeUgandan actressborn 1987
- Doreen DennyBritish ice dancerborn 1941
- Doreen MantleSouth African-born English actress1926–2023
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Doreen, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Maureen
Maureen is used as a given name and a surname. Maureen is connected with Mary.
>99% girls
Moreen
Moreen is used as a given name and a surname. Moreen is connected with Gaelic.
>99% girls
Donna
“ruler of the world”
>99% girls
Noreen
“light”
>99% girls
Cathleen
“one who is pure; virginal”
>99% girls
Colleen
“a young peasant girl”
>99% girls
Lorna
“crowned with laurel; from the laurel tree”
>99% girls
Deirdre
“a brokenhearted or raging woman”
>99% girls